Hello, I am going to give a Raclette a go. With the b.linens. Is this added at the beginning along with the cultures as well as in the brine washing liquid.
When using in the brine solution. Is this mixed up prior to each use and does the b.linens need to be added to the water a particular length of time to allow it to start working? Sorry for all the questions, but I just want to be informed prior to making it. Thank You
Hi Mandalay,
I don't put blinens to the milk with the culture, I put it in the washing brine. I make the solution 1-2 days beforehand, but now because I make Raclette every month, I just top up my older solution.
Many recipes do include the B linens in the milk with the ripening cultures.
But once you have it well established in your cave, it isn't really necessary anymore.
What do the b linens do for this cheese? I want to make one but don't have b linens.
B linens colonises the surface of the cheese but its effects work their way through the whole the whole cheese.
On the surface it makes the cheese slimy to touch and gives it a colour which varies from cream through various shades of pink and orange. It also has a distinctive odour, sometimes compared to unwashed feet.
Below the surface, substances produced in the rind act to soften the cheese and to produce some truly wonderful flavours.
If you do not have any linens, you could inoculate it with a piece of rind from a washed rind cheese. On the other hand, if you keep the cheese at a very high humidity and wash it with a weak brine to keep moulds at bay, the Linens may well turn up all on its own.
Thank you so much for all of the comments. Have only used the b.linens once and it was not viable. Have picked up some more and want to make Raclette. When mixing in with the Brine to wash the cheese.
The brine is water/salt/b.linens ?
Does the mixture need to sit for a day or number of hours prior to using it?
Quote from: Mandalay on January 13, 2018, 03:06:30 PM
The brine is water/salt/b.linens ?
Does the mixture need to sit for a day or number of hours prior to using it?
That's right, about 3% salt in the brine plus your BL. Probably a good idea to make it the day before to allow the bacteria to build up a good population, although BL is as tough as old boots (that's why it thrives in old boots).
And smells like old feet in old boots, too.
Thanks so much for all the help. One more question.
When I make the brine for washing w the b.linens in it. Does this need to be made for each time you wash the cheese or can one mix up a batch and pour off a bit into a sterilized dish to use for washing intern not contaminating the original mix made? Will it store in the fridge for prior washes.
Not an issue, just do not want to kill the b.linens.
Quote from: AnnDee on January 10, 2018, 02:58:48 PM
Hi Mandalay,
I don't put blinens to the milk with the culture, I put it in the washing brine. I make the solution 1-2 days beforehand, but now because I make Raclette every month, I just top up my older solution.
Hi AnnDee,
Can you by any chance post your Raclette recipe? I've always been a fan of your cheeses, and if you're making it every month I'm sure you've got the recipe down perfectly! I've searched the forum high and low for a recipe and found a few, but many are different and/or vague and/or don't have pH markers and I don't know which are tried and true.
Thank you!!
Nevermind! I just found your post with the raclette recipe. Here is the link for anyone else looking: https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,15900.msg121646.html#msg121646 (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,15900.msg121646.html#msg121646)
Thank you again!
I actually sent my twicked recipe to Al Lewis just few days back and my iFiles on my iPad froze after that leaving my notes and recipes hostage in it.
I will message him if he can post the recipe here. :)
That would be amazing!!
Thank you ^-^
Quote from: Mandalay on January 17, 2018, 02:50:42 PM
When I make the brine for washing w the b.linens in it. Does this need to be made for each time you wash the cheese or can one mix up a batch and pour off a bit into a sterilized dish to use for washing intern not contaminating the original mix made? Will it store in the fridge for prior washes.
I typically make up a quantity of linens or PLA-laced brine in a sealable container, and may also put some into a small mister bottle. I use distilled water. It stores quite well in the fridge. I pour out a bit in a clean bowl to wash/wipe a cheese. It doesn't take a lot to wipe the cheese down. You don't want excessive moisture pooling on the surface.
Here's some additional information. (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,13070.msg101037.html#msg101037)
-Boofer-
My procedure is a bit different from Boofer's. I also just make up one batch in a sealed jar but then I use the wash directly from the jar. I then drop the cloth into the jar and re-seal it for next time. It gets to looking pretty disgusting pretty quickly but, to my way of thinking, it's only contaminated with stuff that came off the cheese anyway. I don't know if I'm doing the right thing but it seems to work.
Quote from: Raw Prawn on January 18, 2018, 06:43:37 AM
My procedure is a bit different from Boofer's. I also just make up one batch in a sealed jar but then I use the wash directly from the jar. I then drop the cloth into the jar and re-seal it for next time. It gets to looking pretty disgusting pretty quickly but, to my way of thinking, it's only contaminated with stuff that came off the cheese anyway. I don't know if I'm doing the right thing but it seems to work.
I saw a french cheesemaker do this thing, I was horrified at first (the liquid did not look too clean if you ask me). Then I ate the cheese and what cheese it was! The best thing is, that I am still alive until now after eating the cheese.
But I cannot practice that when I make cheese for other people, just in case I cannot maintain the morge very well with the climate and temp here, and also I am worried people will be too grossed out by it ;D
Here it is, this is a Danisco Recipe from here, I just modify a little. For me it is important to salt it properly, otherwise the cheese will have bitterness.
Raclette
7 gal (I use 30L) milk, warm to 90F (32C)
Add Choozit Alp D LYO 100 DCU/1000 scant 1/4 tsp
Ripen 60 - 90 min until pH 6.5 >>>> most of time this takes 90 minutes
Rennet: 1 tsp liquid rennet
(Renco powder for 7 gal 1/4 tsp)
Target flocc time: 15 - 18 min
Coagulation time: 30 - 40 min.
Flocc multiplier 3.5
Cutting: pea to hazelnut size
Stir: 25 min, gently
WASHING:
Remove 25% of the whey
Add the same amount clear 140F water until 100F.
pH before Washing: 6.35 - 6.40
OR!!!!
NO WASHING:
Heat the curd to 100F (38C), gradually while stirring gently (20-30 minutes)
* Stir 10 min (no need if you don't wash with water)
Prepress under whey for 10 min
Press in cheesecloth-lined mold at 10 lb. only
* modification from me:
Flip and press 24 lbs 12 hrs.
Flip and press 24 lbs 12 hrs
Brine for 1 day in saturated brine bath
* modification from me:
Brine 2.5hr/lbs
pH after brining: 5.2
Let the surface dry
Affinage:
**Modification from me:
Dry for 2-3 days. Keep in a ripening box until a bit slimy/sticky. Then start washing.
Day 1: wash all over.
Day 2: no wash. Flip.
Day 3: wash 1 side only.
Day 4: wash the other side.
Everyday like this until day 10.
After that 2x a week wash, flip every day.
b linens in 3% salt solution - smear
Smear twice on the 1st and 3rd day.
After day 5, smear every 3rd day.
Store at cave temp (52 F) , RH 90 95%
At the end of the first month the cheese should have a rather dry smear.
Age for 2 to 4 months. >>>> after this advisable to keep it in the colder fridge.
For local: 1 month smear.
For the Swiss: 2 months.
Yayy! Thank you AnnDee!
Very excited to try this cheese, I had raclette melted over potatoes for the first time a week ago, and I can't stop thinking about how great it was! ;D ;D
Quote from: AnnDee on January 18, 2018, 08:24:16 AM
But I cannot practice that when I make cheese for other people, just in case I cannot maintain the morge very well with the climate and temp here, and also I am worried people will be too grossed out by it ;D
Don't let them see >:D
Ann Dee, Raw Prawn, Boofer & everyone,
Thank You so much for all your assistance and information. Now, I need to go ahead with this cheese and really looking forward to the process and seeing how I make out. Again, what a fantastic support and help.
Once the b.linens solution is prepared, can I store it in the fridge or will this pose a problem for the b.linens? Also, I have been having issues w keeping my cave/fridge up to 11C. It is riding at about 10C. Is this going to slow down the process or could it stop it all together (the development of color from b.linens)?
Yes you can store it in the fridge.
I keep my Raclettes at around 10 so they develop slowly especially if I have enough stock of ready to consume ones. The still have red orange rind.
Thanks so much, Ann. I really appreciate all of the help from yourself and others. Really looking forward to the progression of this cheese. Intrigues me.
I have a Raclette cheese in ripening box and it is now at 25 days. It has a nice color hue on it. With this being my first Raclette cheese I am not familiar w it. When first made it was softer and has become much firmer into it's aging. I have been washing it every 3 days. This morning when I took it out of the ripening box, the corners (where sides meet the top & bottom) felt soft. Is this normal for this cheese? At what point do you stop Washing it? Is this cheese aged in the ripening box up until eating or is it taken out and aged in lower humidity?
The paste will get a little softer (but not runny) from the blinens, don't get the rind too wet after washing, if it is too wet let the humidity drop a little to dry the rind. Maybe now you can wash with weak brine only (no blinens added). I wash my Raclettes for 1-2 months then they are vac sealed or wrapped.
I know this is an old thread, but I'm trying to make this recipe today and I wonder about this part of the recipe:
QuoteDry for 2-3 days. Keep in a ripening box until a bit slimy/sticky. Then start washing.
After 2-3 days of drying, how do you get the slimy/sticky consistency back? Or do you keep it drying in the ripening box?